Into the Darkness
by lonewarrior101
Summary: An old retired Samurai, awakes to find his family murdered by monsterous demons. Taking up his katana and mustering those who have survived the sudden attack, he enters the portal they emerged from, vengence the only thing that matters anyomore.......
1. Intro

'_In the End, we will remember not the words of __our__ enemies, but the __silence of our friends'_

A warm breeze blew on Sarin's neck softly, coating his bed in a shroud of warmth, which was unusual since it had only been that day he had shoveled tons of snow from his garden.

The grizzled old warrior rose his head from the comfort of his bed and opened his eyes, wondering what could have woken him at such an infernal hour of the night. Upon seeing nothing to suggest anything was amiss, his eyes drooped, beckoning him to surrender to weight of sleep dragging him into a dreamless darkness. Though the comfort of rest tempted him, he knew something was not as it should be, he rose his head to look at the fire.

It was not the fire that blew in the heat, yet it was a warmth he had never encountered, it sapped his energy like the heat of the southern lands he had explored many years ago. The feeling came to him suddenly, he felt as though he had been plunged into a scorching desert.

Turning over he looked across the bed and frowned, Mendela, his wife of eleven years was not there. A bang echoed through the room and the window doors, which were half open and blowing in the warm breeze. He stood, stretching and thinking perhaps his wife had arisen from the bed and gone for a midnight snack, waking him by accident when she left the room. He had always been a light sleeper, being a soldier did that that to a man after years of raids and ambushes by bandits in the wilderness, sometimes even when the unit was stopped for the night.

Sarin pulled his tired body across the room, his eyes half closed as he grasped the window doors and attempted to close them, as he stood in front of the window, a flash of burning light crashed into the side of the house. A cry arose from the depths of the manor house and Sarin felt the hard stone floor under him as something crashed into him, sending him reeling and rolling until he hit the fireplace. He leapt up to confront the thief he suspected had jumped through the window at the same time he had reached it, though it was not a thief that faced him.

A winged creature of purple and black flesh stood in his window, colossal wings reaching from one side of the room to the other in all it's glory. It took a step towards him, hissing from envenomed teeth on it's gnarled face, with a sudden movement, the beast swept across the room, crashing into Sarin's muscular body. He grasped the claws as they slashed, but the creature was stronger than he. It tackled him to the ground, biting deep into his flesh, tearing a chuck from his shoulder.

Sarin screamed, and the beast cried out too. A third scream, a young boys echoed through the hallway outside. The cry Sarin recognized as his youngest sons. Pushing hard against the beast with all the might he could muster from his shattered arm, he slammed it's head onto the hard stone fireplace and it released it's vice like grip on him. He brandished his fist from his left arm which was still on one piece, smashing down onto the face of the monster. It scrambled back, surprised at his sudden burst of strength.

The door burst open and the ring of a blade, followed by a flash of steel appeared, illuminated by the embers of the dying fireplace. The sword, an Akaviri Katana of military design, swept high, decapitating the winged nightmare before it could turn to face it's new foe.

"My Lord," the familiar voice of Dwail said, a mercenary hired to protect Sarin's gold vault," thank the nine you still live,"

"My sons," Sarin said, staggering from the deep bite," I heard their screams,"

"I have sent one of the others to help them get out," Dwail said.

"What the hell is going on Dwail?" Sarin asked.

"I don't know," Dwail replied," the monsters came from nowhere, theres no time no, we must find the rest of your family,"

……………………………………………………………………………………

The two men emerged into the hall, which was clouded with thick black smoke which was accompanied by the smell of burning wood and flesh. Another cry rang out from the floor below and the sounds of battle sounded for a few seconds, then silence followed a moment later. Thudding from below told them that someone was coming up the stairs, heavy feet and distorted voices from an unknown creature in an ancient forgotten language spoke words that chilled Sarin's spine.

Sarin rose a finger to his lips as the two men took hidden positions, one on either side of the stairwell. Dwail was the only one of the two men who was armed and Sarin had seen him handle himself fairly well in a fight before. The mercenary was on a better wage than most hired hands could say, he was a devoted man to his cause and would not fail Sarin.

The door opened and a boy, Valus, Sarin's youngest ran through without seeing either man hidden. Sarin yearned to reach out and bring his boy to safety, to let him know that he was not alone, but he had no time for the action even if he had tried. Two figures pursued the boy, clan in black armour which was laden with specks of blood and with what could have been the remains of any human organ.

"No!" Sarin said, kicking forward into the stomach of the unaware humanoid.

It barely flinched and brandished a blade of the darkest metal and spun around to face Sarin, grasping him by the neck and throwing him into the wall.

"_You dare to challenge one of our kind mortal?_" the humanoid said,"_ since you are the only one of these pathetic dogs who is worth our time, you will have the honor of serving as the dressing on my next meal. Kill the boy Ka'uth, this one we take with us,"_

Dwail's sword flashed again, severing the head from the second demon like man and the second turned to face the warrior, who was only dressed in his bedclothes. The demon slowly circled him, watching the man as he switched the blade from hand to hand nervously, he had never faced such a foe. It's face w twisted and broken, the result of many battles and war wounds. It's expression could only be described as pure evil, it smiled at his foolishness, yet it was a smile that said he took pleasure in slaying men.

"_Your soul is mine,"_ it said, moving low with unnatural speed despite it's heavy looking armour it wore.

The blades clashed, blue sparks flying as the two swords struck midway between the two. He spun the katana low, to strike at the demon's kneecap and immobilize him, it moved too fast switching hands and parrying the stroke and knocking Dwail back against the wall. The monster took it's sword in two hands and thrust it towards his stomach, Dwail sidestepped, swinging the blade high. The demon met the blow and returned it's own, it struck again, this time at Dwail's heart. Dwail ducked, slashing a the demon's waist, spinning under it's arm before it could recover and thrusting the sword through it's back. It stood for a moment longer, then collapsed, it's body becoming naught but dust.

"Valus?" Sarin called," where are you?"

"Here father," a child's voice replied and the boy emerged from a room.

"Come," Dwail said,' we must find the others, My Lord,"

As Sarin stood, a women's scream rang out that froze his heart. The injured man stood up and ran down the stairs, leaving his boy with Dwail. He came to the dining room where three bodies lay, two of them appeared to be the savaged remains of some form of human, probably some of his guards. Next to them was one of the black armored demons, choking in it's own blood and staining the carpet crimson.

"My Lord!" a voice said.

He turned to see two men emerged from a side room, both clad in heavy steel armour and carrying heavy axes. One of them threw a filled scabbard across the room, which Sarin caught and gripped the ruby encrusted hilt with his good arm. The blade sang as it was drawn, his family emblem, a richly gold and ruby plated katana engraved with blessings of Akatosh to strike down dark spirits.

Sarin and his two guards knocked aside the front doors of his house, stepping onto the blood stained snow. Bodies of guards, maids and a child lay at the doors, blood covering their back and black feathered arrows lodged in them where they had tried to flee. In the centre of the hell was a giant flaming portal, surrounded by molten rocks and melting the snow around it. None of the creatures were around, but it didn't matter, it was already too late.

"My Lord," one of the guards said, kneeling by the body of a slain women.

Sarin fell to his knees, recognizing her as Mendela, his wife. In her arms lay his other boy and their newborn, all cut down as they tried to get away.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Sarin screamed in to night.

His head hit the ground as he fell forward, taking them into his embrace, though they were dead and already cold.

"They came from that," Dwail said, leaving the house with Valus, the last survivor of his family.

Sarin picked up his sword and stared in the evil portal, only one thing on his mind, vengeance.

"Muster the survivors," Sarin growled, an inhuman fury taking over his mortal shell," I will have my vengeance,"


	2. A Call to Arms

'_Vengeance taken will often tear the heart and torment the conscience.'_

Sarin took his armour from Dwail, a heavy suit without a helm. It was made of Ebony, one of the hardest materials mortals where capable of forging. He took up his shield, a steel plated heavy block of metal and grasped the hilt of his blessed sword, looking around at the twenty maids, servants and four guards including Dwail that had been mustered.

"I am going into that gate," Sarin said aloud, addressing the people," each of you has served me well in the last few years and I ask one last thing from you. I have lost all I hold dear this night, except my only surviving son. I am going after them, into whatever nightmarish realm lies through there, those who wish to leave, go now and never return. I will go alone if that is what it takes, grab anything resembling a weapon and if I don't see you on the other side, I will think no less of you,"

He pulled hard on the enchanted blade and the ring echoed through the quiet courtyard, it shone for a moment, a majestic green light emitted from the blade as it's magic sensed evil close by. A roar behind him alerted him to the presence of the beast and he turned to face the portal.

A giagatic monster with the head of a crocodile, standing upright on two legs, came charging towards Sarin. Two more blades were drawn and Dwail, followed ne Ufgar, an aging Nord guard, came to his side and readied themselves for battle. The other two men darted to the side as it approached and Sarin anticipated it's clumsy heavy swing of a clawed fist and ducked low. Slashing at it's stomach, the blade drew blood and the flesh of the beast smouldered as it roared in pain from the magical sword. A second blade struck it's arm, bouncing of hard scales. The creature had stopped it's chrage, still staggering from Sarin's blow. A third armoured figure drove it's kantana into it's side, the blade broke and the creature struck back, slamming a great fist into the man's face. Dwail felt down hard, dazed, but protected by his helm which fell away, dented and no longer of any use.

"_Athel Endaras_," a voice spoke, arcane words in a soothing tongue.

A bang and crackle rang out and a stream of lightning, blue and surging with magical power, struck the scaled monster on the head, sending it reeling and tumbling down the hill.

Sarin moved to Dwail, but he wasn't wounded. Sarin's shoulder no longer hurt and he looked down to see the wound was gone, a blue glow around it told him someone had used a healing spell upon him.

From the darkness, a grey robed figure appeared, a staff made from wood in his hands. He knelt by Dwail and looked him over, but was satisfied he was unhurt.

"I am Erech," the wizard said," a Mage from Morrowind, I saw the smoke from the road, I thought I could help,"

"Thank you," Sarin said," but I must cut this meeting short, I am heading into that gate,"

"You do not have many soldiers," Erech said looking around at the group, " but I am skilled in the art of healing, perhaps I can assist you in your journey, I have heard disturbing tales of what lies beyond those portals so you may need all the help you can get,"

"We shall gladly accept another towards our number," Sarin muttered," but we must leave now, Jacob, take my son to the monestry, guard him with your life,"

A man in his twenties, one of the farm workers dressed in muddy garb grasped the reigns of the nearest horse and took the boy in his arms as he mounted. The boy was speechless since the rest of the family were dead and he remained silent even as they rode into the night away from the portal, looking back at his father and his impending doom.

Sarin took the reigns of Storm, a fine jet black stallion from the city of Chedinhal which lie some miles to the south near the Cyrodil / Morrowind border. His armour glinted off the red light from the portal as he mounted his steed, those who had chosen to follow him, a mere twenty, mounted their own assortment of brown and various shades of coloured horses. He spurred the horse towards the gate, drawing his magical blade in a flaming green arch. Behind him, the hooves of the others followed close by as they galloped towards it.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Pain surrounded him, a burning red glow scorched his face as they emerged the other side of the gateway into an unknown world. Instantly, he found it hard to breathe as ash blew into his face from a deep pit of lava that lie to his right. He took a quick scanning look of the rocks around them, to their right was a great lake of lava spewing ash and rocks from it's centre. To their front was a plain of molten rock and four giant spires of the blackest metal, reaching towards the heavens and emitting fire from their tops. The road to their left clear, if it could be called a road at all. There were spikes and piles of rocks blocking their path, the horses would not be able to cross it without injury.

Sarin turned at the sound of horses, which spulttered and neighed as they came through. They stopped almost as soon as they got through, unsure what was in store for them behind the wall of rocks ahead that the would need to navigate through.

"Dismount," Sarin ordered and people started send their steeds back through the gate.

Erech the wizard and Dwail came to Sarin's side quickly to look around, as far as they could see there were pits of lava and red streaks of lightning launching from hills and towers.

"There is a great magical force here," Erech said," something…….more than evil,"

"I'm ready when you are, My Lord," Dwail said.

"Everyone," Sarin called," stick close and if you see any-,"

An arrow wizzed past his face and Sarin ducked down, there were two clangs on the back of his heavy armour as arrows struck and bounced off. Nearby, hiding behind the rocks were a group of archers who were quickly abandoning their bows for swords as they leapt over. There were at least twenty of the humanoid creatures, all donning the same black armour he had seen in the house. Their weapons were sycthe like blades, rusty and glowing with swirling red energies and they were probably all enchanted. Some carried other weapons, blunt maces and axes of the same design, dark and bloody weapons that were filled with dark sorceries.

"Brace yourselves!" Sarin said, raising his shield along with Dwail who swung a heavy steel shield from his shoulder and locked it with Sarin's shield.

A bolt of lightning shot past him from behind, striking one of the chargers on the chest. He flew back, smashing onto a sharp rock and crippling the demon. It was not dead, but close enough to it. The air fizzed and Sarin felt the hairs on his neck rise as Erech summoned a ball of swirling energies in his hand. It was a white colour which began to send shiveres down his spine. The demons were almost on them when Erech let loose all his power, a wave of blue freezing wind swept acorss the ground, freezing all in it's path even though there was the lava around them.

Four of the creatures stopped in their path, frozen by the full force of the spell. They rapidly began to melt as they turned to ice in front of Sarin. The other fifteen or so were slowed, but the most had been shielded from it's full effect by the front runners.

"Kill them all!" Sarin said, taking the force of two of the black armoured creatures as they hit his shield hard.

His feet dug in and he rose up the shield, knocking the mace of the first into the air, he thrust his sword into it's stomach hard and it cried out as it fell, moaning in agony as green flames from Sarin's sword set it on fire. The second creature swung it's sword at his face and Sarin ducked, dragged down faster by the weight of his armour. He stabbed up at the demon and it tried to knock his sword aside. Both blades struck and shot off sparks of magical light and the blow was thrown off course, glancing off the black armour instead of causing a fatal wound. It didn't give him a chance to stand, on his knees, Sarin deflected another blow with his shield. Even though he wasn't hurt by the strike, he felt a wave of cold go over him as the demon's sword placed a curse upon him. He swung his katana again, this time at it's leg. It moved back just in time to avoid the slash and caught it's foot on a rock, Sarin pushed himself forward, jamming the demon's blade against the floor with his shield and using all his weight the thrust it through it's heart. It didn't scream as it died and it's eyes remained open.

Sarin turned to see Dwail knock one of them to the ground and stab down into it's face, killing it instantly.

One of the demons rose from the floor where it had been laying wounded. Blue energies surrounded it as it healed itself and rose it's sword to cut down a servant from behind, who was struggling to hold down one of them it had managed to push to the ground.

Sarin swung his sword, but the demon had seen the glint of it as it passed by the lava. It parryed the blade awarkwardly at a angle and staggered as it swung clumsily at Sarin. He jammed his sword with his opponents, smashed it over the head with his shield and slashed upward as it's face fell towards his sword. It's head thudded on the floor and Sarin looked up to observe the rest of the fight. He had killed some of them, but many of their number had also fallen. Dwail still stood, wiping the blood from his sword. Ufgar however was not so lucky. He lay face down with an arrow in the back of the head, a pool of blood around the edges of his skull where he lay. The others were few in number, seven of theirs had survived the fight and now were looking more grim then ever. Erech was leaning against a rock, healing a fallen women who was bleeding heavily from a chest wound. Erech himself had two bloody slashes in his robes, one on his shoulder and another on his side.

"Some of them still live," Erech said, pointing at some humans who were still twitching," I can save some of them, but our numbers are still too few,"

"He's right," Dwail said," we cannot storm any of these towers, if we heal the wounded with his magic, our numbers will still be few and Erech himself will grow weaker each time,"

"No," Sarin said," we go on, these monsters cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else, if we leave things as they are they will pour into the country and attack the nearby towns, this is the only way, who is with me?"

In their faces, Sarin could see the despair. Dwail stepped forward to join Sarin, Erech nodded his head and continued his healing spells. From the survivors, only two others joined them, the rest of the people looked on unsure whether their loyalty to their Lord held in hell itself.

"Very well," Sarin said," I will not judge you if you return, go to the nearest army fort and summon reinforcements, I however, go forward,"

Sarin, followed by Dwail his loyal soldier, Erech the Healer and a man and women who had taken the armour from the slain guards, all marched forward towards a bridge ahead where they could see their enemies massing and regrouping in another regiment of twenty black armoured soldiers.


End file.
